I think everyone can agree that a perfectly flat jade on pole is pretty impressive, and many of us probably want that or another split variation for ourselves. I love Bendy Babe and the range of active and static stretches that we do in the class, but I don’t always have time to go to Bendy, or it’s scheduled during another class that I want to attend. Like so many, I just want to have noodle bones and would like that to happen right away. Since that is obviously not realistic, I have started using the practice times the studio offers for flexibility training.

I know that when we go to practice, the question we’re always asked is which apparatus we’ll be using. While we definitely should take advantage of these practices for pole and aerial, I think those of us with flexibility goals would benefit from using these practices to do our own solo Bendy. We could, of course, also work on this at home, but home has family and pets and a myriad of other distractions that require our immediate attention. Coming to the studio for a practice gives me the chance to try out some new exercises in a space free from interruptions.

I like that on my own, I can spend as much or as little time working on different muscle groups. If my hips happen to feel particularly tight one day, I can dedicate the whole session to stretching and strengthening those areas, structuring my workout to fit my specific needs. If I have noticed progress in my flexibility, I can start to incorporate a couple of more advanced exercises that may provide a deeper stretch or provide more of a challenge. This freedom allows me to tailor my practice to my body’s needs on any given day, which is something I find incredibly beneficial.

Utilizing practice sessions to work on flexibility not only helps work on my specific goals, but it also helps break up the monotony if I have recently been using practices to work on one specific apparatus. I love pole and aerial, but if I dedicate all of my practices to work on one skill, I develop a bit of a love/hate relationship with the apparatus. Giving myself more variety ensures that I stay motivated and continue to progress, not only in my flexibility but also in my aerial journey as a whole.